Hat with power cooling



Feb. 9, 1965 w. LIMBERG 3,168,748

HAT WITH POWER COOLING Filed June 8, 1961 IN VEN TOR. W Y/VE L IMEE/E 6- BY W, Mis ha! U ted States at nt Q ficc 3,168,748 HAT WITH POWER COOLING Wayne Limberg, P.O. Box 525, Osseo, Wis.

Filed June 8,1961, Ser. No. 115,681 7 Claims. (Cl. 2-171.3)

This invention relates to a hat with power cooling. A motor-driven f an circulates air through the hat. In addition to the cooling elfect of the circulating air, it is preferred to employ a watersoaked pad exposed to the wearers forehead so that the circulating air will cool the forehead by evaporation. Desirably, the pad has sufficient extent to constitute a reservoir. Batteries for operation of the motor may be mounted directly on the hat or in a battery case carried elsewhere upon the person.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a cap embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view taken on a reduced scale in longitudinal section through the cap shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the self-contained motor battery case and fan for attachment to an otherwise generally conventional hat.

FIG. 4 is a view taken in longitudinal section through a different type of hat showing a different motor and fan arrangement.

FIG. 5 is a view taken in horizontal section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

The hat shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a cap which is of generally conventional design being provided with vents at 11 and a sweatband at 12. In accordance with the present invention, the sweatband is desirably channeled as shown at 13 to receive a sponge 14 which extends circumferentially of the hat to any desired extent. Also, the sweatband is desirably provided with an aperture at 15 which may be spanned, optionally, by loosely woven net or fabric 16 to support the sponge 14 slightly clear of the wearers forehead otherwise exposed by the opening 15.

The cap 10 has a visor 17 upon which the invention contemplates the mounting of a bracket 18 having angularly related portions engaged with the visor and with the crown portion 19 of the cap. Attached to the upright flange 20 of the bracket or fitting 18 is a motor housing shell 21 within which is an electric motor 22 designed to be operated by batteries for which battery cases are provided at 23 and 24. The motor 22 is desirably connected to the upper part of the shell 21 as by means of tap screws 26. The batteries (not shown) within the battery cases 23 and 24 will be connected by suitable wiring 27 to each other and to the motor 22. A switch 28 is desirably provided for enabling the operator to control the functioning of the motor.

Air from the exterior, atmosphere is admitted to the shell 21 through a port 29. This air passes to the fan 30 mounted on the armature shaft 31 of motor 22. Desirably the fan used in this device is a blower type fan mounted in a fan casing 32 which has a tangential outlet 33 directed downwardly against the pad 14 in the forward part of the cap. The air passing over the wet pad evaporates the water therefrom and exerts a cooling effect.

. from the wearers forehead and give oil such heat by evaporation of air traversing the sponge.

The sponge pad 14' is protected by a waterproof ply 38 from the crown portion 19 of the hat but this ply terminates in front of the hat and leaves the sponge pad 14' exposed in the path of air entering through the inlet ports 40.

The motor 22 is mounted in a tubular case ,21 disposed at the rear of the hat. In this,instance, the fan comprises a'propeller-like fan 30' and it will be noted that the air circulates through this hat by suction so the interior of the hat is under partial vacuum, thus facilitating moisture evaporation. Water evaporated may be replaced through the spout provided at 34'.

A cord 27' leads to battery case 24 which may be carried anywhere on the person and has its own control switch 28'.

The types of fans used and the fan locations and the other details in which the arrangements differ will be understood to be representative and interchangeable suggestions applicable to other embodiments of the invention and to other types of hats. I do not desire to limit my invention except in the terms of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A hat comprising the combination with a crown, of means including a circumferentially extending sweat band conected to the bottom of the crown and adapted to be located at the level of the wearers forehead for supporting the crown, said sweat band being connected at its lower margin with the bottom of the crown and the crown adapted to extend free of the wearers head above the lower margin of the sweat band, the crown being provided with an air inlet port and an air outlet port above the level of the sweat band, and a motor driven fan connected with one of said ports for circulating air through the crown, and means for cooling air circulated through said crown and including a reservoir pad interposed between the crown and an upper portion of the sweat band, the air inlet port with which the crown is provided including means for directing incoming air onto said pad for evaporation of water therefrom.

2. A hat according to claim 1 in which the motor driven fan has a mounting on the outside of the crown and said mounting also includes battery case means supported thereby from the crown.

3. A hat according to claim 1 in further combination with means for cooling the air circulated through the crown by said fan, said means including a water reservoir pad disposed between the crown and the said lower margin of the sweat band, said crown having filler spout means for guiding water supplied to said pad.

4. At hat according to claim 1 in further combination with a visor conected to the crown and having a flange extending upwardly and secured to the front of the crown, a flange having an opening in registry with one of said ports, a motor housing shell extending through the openings and said last mentioned port, the motor and fan being mounted on said shell, battery case means connected with said visor.

5. A hat according to claim 1, the port in which the motor driven fan is mounted comprising a tubular shell connected with the crown and to which the motor driven fan is attached, said shell constituting a passage for air set in motion by the fan, said passage communicating at one end with the interior of the crown and at its other end with the atmosphere.

6. A hat according to claim 5 in which said shell is connected with the crown at the air exhaust port therefrom, the inlet port constituting spout means for replenishing water in said pad as well as the aforesaid means for directing incoming air onto said pad.

' Patented Feb. .9, 1965 References Cited by the Examiner V UNITED STATES PATENTS Eliel 2-171.3 Nevins 2--199 X -Cross 2--181.6 Meerza 2-171.3 Smith 2171.4 Brock 2-199 X was Uriwal 2-193 3/59 Goldmerstein 2-1712 6/61 Crouzet 2185 X 8/61 Ostwaid 2-183 x 7/62 Chandler 62-309 FOREIGN PATENTS 6/48 Canada. 10/53 Great Britain.

Examiners. 

1. A HAT COMPRISING THE COMBINATION WITH A CROWN, OF MEANS INCLUDING A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING SWEAT BAND CONNECTED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CROWN AND ADAPTED TO BE LOCATED AT THE LEVEL OF THE WEARER''S FOREHEAD FOR SUPPORTING THE CROWN, SAID SWEAT BAND BEING CONNECTED AT ITS LOWER MARGIN WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE CROWN AND THE CROWN ADAPTED TO EXTEND FREE OF THE WEARER''S HEAD ABOVE THE LOWER MARGIN OF THE SWEAT BAND, THE CROWN BEING PROVIDED WITH AN AIR INLET PORT AND AN AIR OUTLET PORT ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE SWEAT BAND, AND A MOTOR DRIVEN FAN CONNECTED WITH ONE OF SAID PORTS FOR CIRCULATNIG AIR THROUGH THE CROWN, AND MEANS FOR COOLING AIR CIRCULATED THROUGH SAID CROWN AND INCLUDING A RESERVOIR PAD INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE CROWN AND AN UPPER PORTION OF THE SWEAT BAND, THE AIR INLET PORT WITH WHICH THE CROWN IS PROVIDED INCLUDING MEANS FOR DIRECTING INCOMING AIR ONTO SAID PAD FOR EVAPORATION OF WATER THEREFROM. 